[{"TitleName":"By Fair Means...or Foul","Publisher":"Superior Software Ltd","Author":"Charles Goodwin, Chris Graham, Rod Walker","YearOfRelease":"1989","ZxDbId":"0000776","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 60, Jan 1989","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1988-12-15","Editor":"Dominic Handy","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Dominic Handy\r\nAssistant Editor: Stuart Wynne\r\nStaff Writers: Mark Caswell, Philip King, Lloyd Mangram, Nick Roberts\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson\r\nContributors: Jon Bates, Robin Candy, Raffaele Cecco, Ian Cull, Paul Evans, Ian Lacey, Barnaby Page, Paul Sumner\r\nEditorial Assistants: Caroline Blake, Vivienne Vickress\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nReprographics Supervisor: Matthew Uffindell\r\nArt Director: Mark Kendrick\r\nAssistant Art Director: Wayne Allen\r\nProduction Team: Ian Chubb, Melvin Fisher, Robert Hamilton, Robert Millichamp, Tim Morris, Yvonne Priest\r\n\r\nEditorial Director: Roger Kean\r\nPublisher: Geoff Grimes\r\nAdvertisement Director: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Neil Dyson\r\nSales Executives: Sarah Chapman, Andrew Smales\r\nAssistants: Jackie Morris, Lee Watkins [redacted]\r\n\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nTypeset by The Tortoise Shell Press, Ludlow. Colour origination by Scan Studios [redacted]. Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset, [redacted] - member of the BPCC Group. Distribution by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOMPETITION RULES\r\nThe Editor's decision is final in all matters relating to adjudication and while we offer prizes in good faith, believing them to be available, if something untoward happens (like a game that has been offered as a prize being scrapped) we reserve the right to substitute prizes of comparable value. We'll do our very best to despatch prizes as soon as possible after the published closing date. Winners names will appear in a later issue of CRASH. No correspondence can be entered into regarding the competitions (unless we've written to you stating that you have won a prize and it doesn't turn up, in which case drop the Sticky Solutions Department a line at the [redacted] address). No person who has any relationship, no matter how remote, to anyone who works for either Newsfield or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions. No material may be reproduced whole or in part without the written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return anything sent into CRASH including written and photographic material, software and hardware - unless it is accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates.\r\n\r\nHAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL CRASH READERS\r\n\r\nTotal: 96,590\r\nUK/EIRE: 90,822\r\n\r\n©CRASH Ltd, 1988\r\n\r\nISSN 0954-8661\r\n\r\nCover Design & Illustration by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"If you can't box clever, fight dirty!\r\n\r\nProducer: Superior Software\r\nFighter's PPurse: £7.95 cass, £12.95 disk\r\nAuthor: C Goodwin from an original version by M and T Simpson\r\n\r\nHe was fighting dirty, know what I mean 'Arry? Well even professional boxers have been known to resort to the odd low punch and in this game the carefully-timed foul is just as important as a good right hook.\r\n\r\nIn two-player mode two 'friends' can fight each other, while the one-player game involves taking on progressively tougher opponents in a bid for the World Championship. Some of them, with names like Dirty Larry and Fast Freddy, aren't bad at fighting dirty either.\r\n\r\nBouts can last for a maximum 15 rounds, but more often than not one of the fighters fails to go the distance, losing all his five lives first. Lives are lost for losing a round and being spotted committing a foul move. The referee moves around the ring at random, watching out for fouls, but sometimes he nods off! Icons at the top of the screen turn red or green, according to which, if any, boxer he's keeping an eye on.\r\n\r\nSelecting a dirty move is, like fair moves, by the usual combination of joystick directions and fire. Showing the impact of these moves are two energy bars and whichever fighter has most energy left at the end of the round wins it. If a boxer's energy is reduced to zero, he falls over and is counted out. Unlike real boxing, however, he still gets up to fight the next round if he's any lives left!\r\n\r\nAlthough By Fair Means Or Foul appeals to my devious nature, technically it's mediocre with wobbly sprites and basic sound. The action ultimately gets repetitive, as success can be achieved by the repeated use of one or two moves. Still, it's good, if hardly clean fun for a few bouts.\r\n\r\nPHIL 45%\r\n\r\nTHE ESSENTIALS\r\nJoysticks: Kempston, Sinclair\r\nGraphics: sloppy boxer sprites 'skate' around the ring\r\nSound: simple punching noises and crunchy applause at the end of each round\r\nOptions: one or two players. Restart game against more difficult opponent","ReviewerComments":["Foul! How can you call this a fair match when I can't even tell which is my boxer? In any case, the pair of 'em look doped, moving around the ring like they're ice-skating. As for the ref, how much was he paid? - he never notices the other guy's fouls while mine are spotted every time! What a con!\r\nMark Caswell\r\n23%"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: A great idea which has been let down by poor programming - it won't knock you out!","Page":"34","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Phil King","Score":"45","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Mark Caswell","Score":"23","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"40%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"32%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"28%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"37%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"33%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"34%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 37, Jan 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1988-12-09","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":156,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nArt Editor: Catherine Higgs\r\nProduction Editor: Jackie Ryan\r\nStaff Writer: Duncan MacDonald\r\nDesigner: Thor Goodall\r\nTechnical Consultant: David McCandless\r\nContributors: Marcus Berkmann, Guy Bennignton, Ciaran Brennan, Jason Daley, Mike Gerrard, Sean Kelly, Catherine Peters, Peter Shaw, Rachael Smith, Phil South\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Simon Stansfield\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Stephen Bloy\r\nAdvertisement Director: Alistair Ramsay\r\nProduction Manager: Judith Middleton\r\nMarketing Manager: Bryan Denyer\r\nPublisher: Terry Grimwood\r\nFinance Director: Colin Crawford\r\nManaging Director: Stephen England\r\nChairman: Felix Dennis\r\n\r\nPublished by Dennis Publishing Ltd, [redacted] Company registered in England.\r\nTypesetters: Carlinpoint [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinters: Chase Web Offset [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Sinclair ©1989 Felden Productions, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publishers. Your Sinclair is a monthly publication."},"MainText":"Superior [2]\r\n£7.95 cass/£12.95 disk\r\nReviewer: David McCandless\r\n\r\nDon't you just love boxing? The crowds, the atmosphere, the smoke, the clash of the bell, the grunts, the sweat, the swift nasal exhalations, the count, the money, the divorce settlement, the suicide attempt, the brain damage. Oh yes, it's a great sport, but does it really work on the computer?\r\n\r\nNo.\r\n\r\nThere simply aren't enough moves. In boxing you've got your standard punch, your er, punch, and of course the punch. Not very impressive at all.\r\n\r\nSo when Superior came to attempt a boxing game they were very cunning about it, deciding to include the foulest, most disgusting, loathful and unlawful of boxing moves: the head butt (ooh), the kick (aah), the knee (no!) and the groin punch (swoon). All these among the customary defensive blocks and normal punches and jabs make sixteen moves on one joystick. The idea is to ascend the world rankings to World Champion by pulping the six increasingly deadly muscular monoliths standing in your way.\r\n\r\nYou have fifteen rounds in which to pulverise your opponent. Each round lasts 60 seconds. For a KO you have to pummel about twenty-five consecutive punches into Mild Martin's gob. Which isn't easy when he's busy doing the same for you. Alternatively, you can opt to be nefarious and seek an opportune moment to strike with a despicable move - like when the referee falls asleep for instance.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, the graphics are primitive and old fashioned. You and the opponent look like twins with the same pointed angular bodies, toeless shoes and pencil necks - only the shorts differ. The referee is a prat in black who marches back and forth like a bow-legged crab.\r\n\r\nEverything moves reasonably smoothly, but effective punches must be delivered from the correct distance more or less - and they miss. This gets annoying when, in the heat of the battle, you attempt to fend off Mild Martin with a cannonball of a punch only to find you're standing a pixel too far back!\r\n\r\nThe moves are awkward to obtain and often slow to respond. And the restrictions to left/right movement make the characters seem more like shuffling cardboard cut-outs.\r\n\r\nThe game's tidily presented with a subtle splattering of special effects and humour, but the poor graphics, unwieldy control, and painful speed just prove my point.\r\n\r\nBoxing games don't work particularly well on the computer.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"A mediocre boxing attempt that just does not survive the count.","Page":"43","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"David McCandless","Score":"6","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"6/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 55, Jul 1990","Price":"£1.7","ReleaseDate":"1990-06-07","Editor":"Matt Bielby","TotalPages":84,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Matt Bielby\r\nArt Editor: Kevin Hibbert\r\nProduction Editor: Andy Ide\r\nDesign Assistant: Andy Ounsted\r\nContributors: Robin Alway, Marcus Berkmann, Joe Davies, Jonathan Davies, Cathy Fryett, Jo Fulton, Mike Gerrard, Kati Hamza, Kate Hodges, Duncan MacDonald, Jon North, Rich Pelley, David Wilson\r\nAdvertising Manager: Mark Salmon\r\nAdvertising Executive: Simon Moss\r\nPublisher: Greg Ingham\r\nAssistant Publisher: Jane Richardson\r\nManaging Director: Chris Anderson\r\nProduction Manager: Ian Seager\r\nProduction Coordinator: Melissa Parkinson\r\nSubscriptions: Computer Posting [redacted]\r\nMail Order: The Old Barn [redacted]\r\nPrinters: Riverside Press [redacted]\r\nDistributors: SM Distribution [redacted]\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair is published by Future Publishing Ltd [redacted]\r\n\r\n©Future Publishing 1990. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission."},"MainText":"PRO BOXING SIMULATOR\r\nCodeMasters\r\n£2.99\r\nReviewer: Rich Pelley\r\n\r\nNo prizes for guessing what this one's about (boxing, actually). \"okay, okay,\" you're thinking, \"we've seen a fair few boxing sims in our time - what makes this one different?\" Absolutely nothing actually. Just your standard slow and rather crappy punch-'n'-block simulation. The only 'highlights' are the foul moves - headbutts and groin punches etc - which you can stick in here and there (providing the ref's not looking, that is). Not that they're particularly thrilling though. And nor is the rest of the game for that matter. It's slightly better in two-player mode, but the thing's so damn slow that I could think of a million and one better things to do rather than be playing this (playing something else, for instance). And just when I thought Codie games were getting better. Ho hum.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"75","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Rich Pelley","Score":"40","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Pansy, eh? Well, wouldn't you be if you'd just been clobbered in the conkers?"}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"40%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 81, Dec 1988","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1988-11-18","Editor":"Graham Taylor","TotalPages":123,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Graham 'Oh Yeah' Taylor\r\nDeputy Editor: Jim 'Any colour will do for me' Douglas\r\nProduction Editor: Alison 'Demarkation' Skeat\r\nArt Editor: Tim 'Lager Lout' Noonan\r\nAdventure: The Sorceress\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nTechnical: Andrew Hewson, Rupert Goodwins\r\nContributors: Tony 'I haven't done it' Dillon, Chris 'I'm keeping it' Jenkins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Katherine Lee\r\nSenior Sales: Shane Hussien\r\nAd Production: Emma Ward\r\nPublisher's Assistant: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Terry 'I'm not your boss as such' Pratt\r\nMarketing: Clive 'Zxxx' Pembridge\r\n\r\nPhone: [redacted]\r\nFax: [redacted]\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nThis Month's Cover: Jerry 'Ninja' Parks\r\n\r\nPrinted by Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1988 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries: [redacted]\r\n24 Hour Order Line: [redacted]\r\nBack Issues: Back Issues Department (SU), [redacted]"},"MainText":"Label: Superior Software\r\nAuthor: C Goodwin\r\nPrice: £7.95/£12.95\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Chris Jenkins\r\n\r\nIssa great sport, knoworrimean 'arry? Two muscle-bound clods battering each other senseless until one has so much brain damage that he falls over (or starts doing ketchup adverts). By Fair Means or Foul isn't the first boxing simulation on the Spectrum - Elite's Frank Bruno's Boxing is back in the charts again as a budget re-release - but BFMOF is by far the funniest, 'cos in this one you can cheat.\r\n\r\nBasically it's a one or two-player combat game, featuring a selection of fighting moves which, shall we say, don't all conform to the Queensbury Rules. The ring is shown in slight perspective, and the two boxers share it with a dodgy referee who does his best to keep things clean - when he's not nodding off.\r\n\r\nYou can choose joystick or keyboard control with definable keys, and before starting you lean choose any computer opponent (providing you have reached that level previously).\r\n\r\nWith the fire button you have eight moves available; move forward, duck punch (which makes you look like a gibbon), duck, low guard, move back, high guard, jerk back and head butt. Head butt!? Yes, it might be a foul move, but it's quite permissible in BFMOF. With the fire button pressed, you have the options of punch, upper cut, kick (another foul), groin punch (an extremely painful foul), body blow, low guard, knee and high guard. Control moves are reversed if your character gets in a clinch by moving too close to your opponent, and ends up facing right instead of left.\r\n\r\nWhile the fighting moves are all pretty precise and useable, reactions are a little slow. Fortunately, on the early levels at least, your opponent is pretty slow too; the first fighter, Mild Martin, often stands quite happily while you punch and kick him to oblivion.\r\n\r\nOh yes, the foul blows. You can only get these in if the ref's attention has strayed. You can judge this from the colour of the silhouettes above the ring; red, no chance, amber, maybe, green, go for it. If you're caught making a foul blow, the ref will stop the fight and you'll be penalised.\r\n\r\nEnergy bars below the screen show your status; your aim is to outpoint each of six opponents to become World Champion, after which the action carries on with more and more vicious opponents.\r\n\r\nThe audience is just as rowdy as you'd expect from the sort of people who patronise the noble art; shown outlined against the ring lights, they cheer loudly at the end of each round, joggle up and down enthusiastically and chip in with a range of friendly comments. Other nice touches include the winning boxer punching the air, and the thump as a good blow lands.\r\n\r\nThere are plenty of good points to BFMOF; the wide variety of fighting moves, the decent sound effects and music, the comments from the crowd (\"C'mon Pansy!\") and the ref, and so on. It isn't quite smooth or novel enough to make you scream with joy, but it will pass a few pleasant hours of head-punching.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Fairly entertaining boxing sim with some below-the-belt tactics.","Page":"48","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Chris Jenkins","Score":"68","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"62%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"71%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"64%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"68%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) Issue 17, Feb 1989","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1989-01-05","Editor":"Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":124,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Future Publishing [redacted]\r\nTelephone [redacted], Fax [redacted], Telecom Gold 84:TXT152, Prestel/Micronet: 0458 74011\r\n\r\nEditor: Graeme Kidd\r\nReviews Editor: Bob Wade\r\nStaff Writers: Steve Jarratt, Andy Smith (Don't believe everything you read in the masthead last month!)\r\nProduction Editor: Damien Noonan\r\nConsultant Editor: Brian Larkman (Graphics)\r\nAdventure Editor: Steve Cooke\r\nContributors: Gwyn Hughes, Phil South, Tony Tyler Andy Wilton\r\nArt Editor: Trevor Gilham\r\nAssistant Art Editor: Angela Neale\r\nProduction: Diane Tavener\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Jonathan Beales\r\nAdvertising Sales Executive: David Lilley\r\nPublisher: Kevin Cox\r\n\r\nCover by Simon Bisley\r\n\r\nSUBSCRIPTIONS\r\nAvon Direct Mail [redacted]\r\n\r\nSPECIAL OFFERS\r\n(Christine Stacey) [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOLOUR ORIGINATION\r\nWessex Reproduction [redacted]\r\n\r\nDISTRIBUTION\r\nSM Distribution [redacted]\r\n\r\nPRINTING\r\nChase Web Offset [redacted]\r\n\r\n© FUTURE PUBLISHING LTD 1989\r\n\r\nNo part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without our permission."},"MainText":"A Superior boxing game???\r\n\r\nSometimes a person has to cheat, simple as that. Whether it's typing in a poke or making illegal moves in a boxing match, sometimes it's the only solution.\r\n\r\nIn this one or two player boxing sim it's the illegal moves that are needed as you challenge for the Championship. Playing solo, that means taking on six increasingly difficult opponents on your way to the top, and then more in defence of your crown.\r\n\r\nThere are fifteen rounds per bout and a total of eight available moves, four fair and four foul. The two boxers are viewed side-on, while a referee wanders around the ring watching the boxers - most of the time! A small icon of your boxer in the top corner changes colour according to how much attention the referee is paying. A red icon means he's watching like a hawk, a yellow one means you've got a chance of getting away with an illegal move and green means it's definitely time to start letting loose with head butts, kicks and groin punches. You don't have to keep an eye on the indicator all the time, because the ref often falls asleep and a large speech bubble full of ZZZZ's appears.\r\n\r\nIf your man gets caught making an illegal move, the ref shouts \"foul\" and you lose one of your five lives. You also have to be careful not to get too close to the other boxer, because the contestants go into a hold and swap sides. If this happens too often, you lose another life.\r\n\r\nBy Fair Means... is by no means a good boxing sim. The gameplay is poor and it's got little in it of any challenge. Admittedly it's supposed to be more of a laugh than a serious simulation, but it's doubtful you'll find it entertaining for long.\r\n\r\nReviewer: \r\n\r\nRELEASE BOX\r\nSpectrum, £7.95cs £12.95dk Reviewed\r\nAmstrad, £9.95cs £14.95dk, Imminent\r\nC64/128, £9.95cs £11.95dk Reviewed\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 50/100\r\n1 hour: 50/100\r\n1 day: 30/100\r\n1 week: 25/100\r\n1 month: 10/100\r\n1 year: 0/100","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Doesn't last the distance.","Page":"48","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Andy Smith","Score":"332","ScoreSuffix":"/1000"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"C64 - you've a fair chance of getting away with a low blow - should you risk it?"}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"C64 VERSION\r\n\r\nThe graphics are more colourful but they're just as badly animated. Again the sound is poor, and you won't be playing this is an year's time.\r\n\r\nGraphics: 6/10\r\nAudio: 2/10\r\nIQ Factor: 1/10\r\nFun Factor: 5/10\r\nAce Rating: 338/1000\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 60/100\r\n1 hour: 50/100\r\n1 day: 30/100\r\n1 week: 25/100\r\n1 month: 10/100\r\n1 year: 0/100"},{"Text":"SPECTRUM VERSION\r\n\r\nThe mostly monochrome graphics are adequate, but the animation is poor (the way the ref moves especially) and this, couple with weak sound effects, does little to keep you interested."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Audio","Score":"2/10","Text":""},{"Header":"IQ Factor","Score":"1/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Fun Factor","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Ace Rating","Score":"332/1000","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]